


Day Three Hundred Twenty-One || Whispering

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [321]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:46:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21532435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: Town gossip is heavy with interesting rumors of a kidnapped princess. But rumors are often misleading...
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Uchiha Sasuke
Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [321]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1235528
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	Day Three Hundred Twenty-One || Whispering

“Did you hear…?”

“They say the princess was kidnapped.”

“By her own servant, no less!”

“I knew it was unwise to have a mage so close to the royal family…”

“There will surely be a ransom!”

“Whatever will the king do?”

“He _has_ another daughter, you know…”

“You don’t mean to suggest…?”

“Shh, you never know who might be listening…!”

Pretending to fiddle the cinch of his horse’s saddle, Sasuke listens to the whispering. Ever since the princess disappeared, there have been all shades of rumors, and there’s no truly knowing just how much is fact, and how much fiction.

But he has a plan…

“Ready to go?”

“Of course. Just sampling the latest gossip.”

“Anything new?”

“No, the same old stories...kidnapping, ransom, magic…”

“Well, if it’s been repeated so often, there may be grains of truth to it.”

“Here’s hoping - I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like rescuing a princess just for the fun of it. I’d much rather have a sack of gold than a king’s good graces.”

Itachi can’t help a chuckle as he mounts his horse. “In an ideal world, we’ll have both.”

“I prefer to keep my expectations low as not to be disappointed. What about you? Any leads?”

“Potentially. Rumor has it they may be headed northeast. Vaguely-matched descriptions.”

“Hm...makes sense. It’s the nearest border. If the mage wants to drag her out of the country, that would be the way to go. And yet…”

“What?”

Sasuke gathers his reins, the pair of them slowed by city crowds as they head toward the north gate. “...that almost sounds less like a kidnapping, and more like…”

“A getaway?”

“Precisely.”

“My thoughts, as well. Something tells me we may find this tale to be deeper than the tales tell. But there’s only one way to find out: we’ll have to catch them.”

“Then we’ve no time to lose…!”

As soon as they clear the gate, the brothers urge their mounts to a swift lope, wanting to whittle down the miles before sunset.

It’s an odd situation. The eldest daughter of the king Hiashi has been - according to most - kidnapped by her lady-in-waiting. Hinata, the princess, was given a mage a few years her senior as a child to serve as her protector and servant. The elder girl had been a gift: a prize from the conquered lands Hiashi had recently obtained.

Sasuke had always found the notion repellent: the gifting of a human being like an object. It doesn’t help that he and his brother as mages as well, remnants of a kingdom long lost.

Hinata was, for most of her life, kept contained within the castle grounds. But any rare glimpse of her always showed the mage in her shadow, hovering in what did indeed appear to be a defensive, protective manner.

So why, after all this time, would a loyal servant suddenly turn on her mistress, kidnapping her for reasons yet unknown?

...it makes only partial sense. True, she was originally introduced to the princess as a thing, a prize, a slave. Perhaps resentment has only built throughout the years. But something in Sasuke’s gut tells him otherwise.

But for now...the truth doesn’t matter. What _does_ is that the brothers are expert trackers, and like so many, are in pursuit of the pair in hopes of a reward in glory and gold.

“They have a few days on us,” Itachi then offers, breaking Sasuke’s thoughts. “But we can’t assume they have horses - if they’re so sought after, surely they wouldn’t be foolish enough to barter in the open.”

“But we don’t know what arts the mage is learned in - perhaps she can cast illusions as we can. Use that to steal what she needs.”

“It’s possible...but I doubt it. Even that would leave a trail. If she’s truly serious, and at all cunning, she won’t run that risk. We can neither over nor underestimate her.”

“A bit limited then, don’t you think?”

“Precisely. We’ll have to be just as cunning.”

“Did you speak to the ravens?”

“Of course. They’re scouring as we speak. But even then, word will take time to reach us. For now, we keep moving.”

“And if your lead is wrong and we’re headed in the wrong direction?”

“It’s a risk we’ll have to take. Either way, they’ll be getting further from us if we do nothing. And I trust my sources.”

“...very well.”

They ride until sundown, tethering their horses off the road and eating spare rations.

“So if this isn’t kidnapping...what do you think it is?”

“...I can’t afford to make assumptions. We’ll find the truth when we find them.”

“And if she lies?”

“The princess will surely tell us.”

“...unless she’s an accomplice.”

“A possibility, yes...but we’ll have to wait and see. I know patience isn’t always your foremost virtue, but we’re going to need it.”

The next morning, they leave at first light, coming across a simple mining town along the route. Itachi pauses to hear the gossip as Sasuke regathers their supplies.

“Have you had any women traveling alone? A pair of them, likely harried?”

Gathering his requested items, the shopkeep hums in thought. “...that does ring a distant bell, aye.”

“When?”

“Two days hence. Seemed rushed, hoods drawn. We see plenty a’ strange folk ‘round these parts, so I thought nothing of it. Friends of yours?”

“You could say that,” Sasuke mutters, handing over the proper coins with a nod. “My thanks.”

“Learn anything?” Itachi asks as they reunite.

“Sounds like they were here two days ago - the man at the general goods shop remembers a pair of suspicious women.”

“Well then, seems we’re on the right path. If that was only two days ago...they aren’t making good time. They must be on foot - or at least were when they arrived. I checked the livery - no horses have been sold.”

“Then we’ll soon catch them…!”

With a renewed vigor, the pair flee further north, pushing their horses as far as they dare. And then, midafternoon, a raven cries, swooping alongside them.

Sasuke’s heart leaps. “What news?”

“They’ve found them. Holed up in a cave...there’s a barrier at the fore.”

“A barrier…?”

“It’s not far - let’s go!”

Urging his mount, Sasuke keeps on his brother’s heels. They soon abandon the road heading toward a cliffside.

“See it?”

“...I think so. Dismount - we’ll go in on foot.”

They tether their horses, keeping weapons drawn - Itachi his sword, and Sasuke his bow. No matter their hypotheses, they can’t afford to assume anything.

“It’s just there...see it?”

A large crack in the cliff looks dark, but as Sasuke stares, he can see the faint glimmer of a barrier - otherwise unnoticeable. “...how are we going to get in?”

“By making another doorway...be ready. This is going to be loud, but they won’t have anywhere to flee.”

Nodding, Sasuke tightens his grip on the curve of his bow. An arrow rests, nocked and waiting to be drawn.

Sheathing his blade, Itachi presses a hand to the rock and soil near the barrier. Rather than dismantle it...he instead shifts the earth around it to make another entrance. And as promised, it’s loud. Stone grates and a faint rumbling builds.

...but no one comes.

Once there’s a slim but clear path, Itachi leads the way in, summoning a small lick of flame to his palm. The fire dances, casting shifting shadows against the walls of the cavern.

“Stay close…”

They creep forward, tense and ready for anything. It’s utterly silent save for their muted footsteps, leather boots quiet against the stone floor.

“...are you sure they’re here?”

“Yes, I’m s-”

With a flare of energy, another barrier blooms...and this time, it encases them both. Startled to a stop (and unable to flee), the brothers freeze.

Slowly, out of the darkness, comes a woman: hands raised and aglow with magic. Determination shapes her face. “...who are you?”

“I think the better question is who _you_ are, rogue mage. Where is the princess?”

“She’s none of your concern. Did Hiashi send you?”

“No...we’re here of our own volition to get princess Hinata back.”

“She isn’t going _anywhere_...and certainly not back to that wretched man.”

The brothers exchange a look. “...you haven’t kidnapped her…?”

“No...she didn’t.”

Two pairs of dark eyes shift to look further back into the cave. Hinata emerges from the shadows, looking wary but calm. “...princess?”

“I wasn’t taken from my father. I was saved from him.”

“...well, isn’t that interesting…” Itachi muses.

“If you’re here to take me back...I won’t go. Not unless you force me…!”

“I won’t allow it, my lady,” the mage cuts in. Eyes narrowing, she in turn narrows the barriers around them. “We can’t trust them…”

“Wait! The king didn’t send us - we came seeking a reward!” Sasuke rebukes.

“Then you’re driven by greed rather than blind loyalty? Hardly better.”

“But so too are we guided by our morals,” Itachi offers, giving Sasuke a warning glance. “If you were indeed fleeing for your safety...we won’t usurp that. But that does beg the question of what _really_ happened, my lady. Perhaps we could be of help. We’re trackers by trade...which means we also know how to evade them.”

Sasuke’s brows furrow. _...what are you up to, now…?_

“We still have no reason to trust you.”

“Wait…” Hinata cuts in, placing a gentle hand on her companion’s arm. “...perhaps we _should_ explain. If they are men of their word...it would only help us.”

The mage glances to her, clearly torn. “...yes, my lady. As you wish.” Her magic fades, and the barriers fall. “...but if they make _one wrong move_...I’ll crush them.”

“I know you want only to protect me...but we need allies. Perhaps we’ve found some.”

“As I said,” Itachi offers, gesturing politely to try and ease suspicion. “If returning you would endanger you further, we’ll not do so. We were under the assumption you were taken by force.”

“No...I fled. We both did.”

“But...why?”

“...to escape my father’s plot to have me murdered...and to place the blame on my closest friend.”

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, this is...super random, and also has a really evil cliffy, I'm sorry! But it's late and the piece was getting long ;;;;; I'll try to do more soon if y'all enjoy it!
> 
> But actually, this is based on one of my very earliest RPs...which actually helped me in the early stages of developing my original fantasy verse! It's been...gosh...a looong time since that RP, and a lot has changed, but it was very nostalgic to revisit this old plot. It was VERY extensive, but this is (sorta) how it began!
> 
> Anyway, I'd say more but I am EXHAUSTED. I DID get another prompt up earlier today since I skipped yesterday and had some time today. So I'm a lil wrote-out, lol - so I'm gonna call it a night. Thanks for reading~


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